The present invention relates to elevated tree stands for use by hunters, naturalists or the like. The invention particularly relates to improvements in a combination climbing and hang-on tree stand, as well as in ladder stands wherein the individual uses the stand as a platform for standing or sitting at a desired elevation in a tree.
A typical tree stand is described and illustrated in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,552, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. In that tree stand, there is provided a platform which is useful by the individual for both climbing the tree, as well as affording a secure and stable platform at a desired elevation along the tree. The platform as illustrated in that patent also carries a collapsible seat whereby the individual, upon attaining the desired height in the tree, may secure the platform to the tree and extend the seat such that the individual may sit on the seat with his feet on the platform.
Another type of tree stand for similar purposes is known as a ladder stand. The ladder stand typically comprises a ladder comprised of two or more sections which sections can be secured one to the other to form a backpack thereby enabling an individual to trek into the desired area, for example, a wooded area for hunting. Upon reaching the site, the individual may assemble the ladder by connecting the ends of the sections to one another. The upper section typically includes a pair of angled support tubes which, when the ladder is in an upright position, includes a strap-and-hook assembly to hold the ladder to the tree. The upper section is also provided with a seat. The present invention relates to various novel improvements in both types of stands.
In one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flat V-shaped bar for use with both the climbing and platform sections of a climbing tree stand. For example, the platform section has a pair of inclined supports attached at one end intermediate the ends of the platform and which supports are secured to the opposite ends of the V-shaped bar. Thus, the tree is completely encircled by one end of the platform which bears against the tree, the side supports and the V-shaped bar which bears against the opposite side of the tree from the platform. According to the present invention, the flat V-shaped bar has an upstanding flange or lip, preferably located along the outer edge of the bar adjacent the apex of the V-bar. The flange is slotted to receive a V-bar strap assembly for securing the section to the tree. The climber section similarly has a V-shaped bar secured to it in like fashion. Because the flange is spaced from the tree when the platform and climber sections are secured at the desired elevation, the platform cannot pivot away from the tree because the geometry of the securement causes the weight of the individual to force the platform against the tree. Additionally, the flange enables the V-bar to be made of lighter weight material, as compared with previous V-bars, and spaces the strap from the tree at its point of connection with the platform and climber sections, thereby avoiding abrasion of the strap at the connection with the V-bar.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a gun rest mounting bracket on the climbing section enabling pivotal movement of a gun rest from an upright position serving as a gun rest for the hunter when on the stand and an inclined position serving as a safety support for the climber when the tree is being climbed. The gun rest is essentially a U-shaped bar having opposite, downwardly turned ends which are pivotally secured to the bracket. The gun rest bracket preferably comprises a flat bracket body secured along each of the opposite sides of the climber section and pivotally mounting the lower end of the gun rest. Each bracket body includes a pair of openings defining the connection points between the gun rest and the bracket in the upright and inclined positions of the gun rest, respectively. A spring-biassed pin carried by the gun rest is employed to lock the gun rest in one of the two positions.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the inner edge of the platform engaging the tree is provided with a pair of elastomeric tree teeth. The teeth are specifically configured to engage the tree without damaging it, while simultaneously affording lateral support for the stand, i.e., preventing rotation of the stand about the tree. Thus, the improved tree teeth provide a grip to the tree during climbing without destroying tree bark or otherwise damaging the tree, while simultaneously when the platform or climber section is secured at the appropriate elevation to the tree, afford lateral support for the climber or platform section at that elevation. Each of the tree teeth are specifically configured to have four vertically and horizontally spaced projections to afford such support.
In a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tree stand having a seat elevated above a platform and readily and easily securable to the tree, regardless of the shape of the tree or the angle selected by the climber for the attaching mechanism. To accomplish this, a pair of clevises are secured to the bracket supporting and on opposite sides of the seat, the clevises extending toward the tree. One clevis is secured to an eye at one end of the strap, while the other clevis is secured to a hook on the opposite end of the strap. Intermediate the ends of the straps there is provided a buckle for tightening the strap about the tree and releasing the strap. In this manner, the clevises reduce excess wear on the attaching mechanism caused by line tension over uneven surfaces or the angle selected by the climber for attaching the stand to the tree.
In a still further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a ladder tree stand comprised of ladder sections which may be arranged in parallel relation to one another for backpacking into the woods and subsequent assembly to provide an elongated ladder stand for placement against a tree. In one embodiment thereof, the ladder sections are provided with quick connect-disconnect clips, whereby the ladder sections can be assembled together quickly for rattle-free carrying as a backpack when trekking, e.g., to a hunting site, and quickly disassembled so that the sections can be connected to one another to form an elongated ladder tree stand. Each clip comprise a split ring or enclosure for engaging about a side rail of a ladder section with flanges projecting from the enclosure ends to receive bolts whereby the clips can be permanently secured to a ladder section. The clip also has a projecting portion comprised of a pair of projecting legs for resilient securement to a side rail of another ladder section upon pressing it toward the clip. To release the sections, the sections are simply separated from one another, with the one section being withdrawn from the resilient clip.
In a further aspect of the present invention, the ladder sections are provided with anti-lock bushings. Upon assembly of the ladder, the upper ends of the side rails of each section are reduced in cross-section for telescopically receiving the lower ends of the side rails of another superposed ladder section. Typically, the female and male portions of these telescoping connections will lock up and bind with one another when the individual climbs the ladder, rendering it extremely difficult and oftentimes impossible to disassemble the ladder into discrete sections for backpacking the ladder out of the woods. To prevent this, the present invention provides an anti-lock bushing having a central opening with a step or flange intermediate the ends of the opening defining a first bushing portion having a first cross-section corresponding to the cross-section of the side rails and a second bushing portion having a second cross-section corresponding to the cross-section of the reduced ends of the side rails. In this manner, each bushing may be received over the reduced cross-section end of the rails of the one ladder section, with the step or flange bearing against the transition radius between the rail and its reduced cross-section. When the female portion of the rail of the adjacent ladder section is received over the reduced male portion, the lower end of the female portion engages the upper edge of the bushing, preventing the upper rail from binding or locking up with the radiussed portion of the lower rail.
In a preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a tree stand having at least one of a climbing section and a platform section, one section including a frame comprised of a pair of laterally spaced elongated side frame members, a cross-member at one end of the frame for abutment against a tree, and a pair of inclined supports projecting from a location intermediate the ends of the frame toward the one frame end, a generally V-shaped flat, substantially planar bar having interior edges within the V-shape of the bar and exterior edges opposite thereto, the V-shaped flat bar engaging about a tree on a side thereof opposite the frame, means for connecting the V-shaped bar to the inclined supports to enable the one end of the frame, the inclined supports and the V-shaped bar to encompass the tree, a strap for connecting the V-shaped bar and the tree to one another, the V-shaped flat bar having a flange projecting out of the plane of the bar at a location spaced outwardly of the inner edges of the bar and having at least one slot for receiving the strap whereby the strap may extend through the slots and encircle the tree to secure the one section to the tree with the strap spaced from the tree at its connection with the flange.
In further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a tree stand having a generally horizontally disposed frame for abutment at one end against a tree, including a pair of laterally spaced side frame members, inclined supports connecting to the fame at a location intermediate the ends of the frame and projecting toward the one frame end, crosspieces interconnecting the side frame members, and means connected to the frame for securing the tree stand to a tree, a gun rest carried by the frame and movable between an upright position and a position inclined relative to the platform, a gull rest bracket for releasably securing the gun rest in a selected one of the positions, including a bracket body secured to the frame and means cooperable between the gun rest and the bracket for releasably securing the gun rest in each of the positions.
In a still further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a tree stand having a platform section comprised of a frame having a pair of laterally spaced, elongated side frame members interconnected by a plurality of crosspieces, tree teeth at one end of the frame for engaging the tree affording lateral support to the tree stand, the tree teeth including at least one elastomeric element having a tree-engaging side and a platform section-engaging side, and means for securing the elastomeric element to the platform, the tree-engaging side of each element including at least four projections spaced from one another both vertically and horizontally, with recessed portions therebetween, whereby the projections are engageable against the tree at vertically and horizontally spaced positions to substantially preclude lateral movement of the tree stand relative to the tree.
In a still further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a ladder tree stand having a plurality of ladder sections for interconnection with one another to from a ladder, each section including a pair of laterally spaced elongated ladder rails interconnected by a plurality of ladder rungs, a plurality of clips for releasably attaching the ladder sections to one another in spaced, generally parallel relation to one another, each clip comprising a split enclosure for engaging about a rail of one ladder section and having a pair of flanges projecting from the split enclosure, means for securing the flanges to one another to secure the clip to the one ladder section rail with the latter rail within the split enclosure and a resilient clip portion projecting from the split enclosure for releasably engaging about a ladder rail of another ladder section located in generally parallel, spaced, and generally coextensive relation to the one ladder section, whereby the clips releasably connect the ladder sections in generally parallel relation to one another.
In a still further preferred embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a ladder stand having a plurality of ladder sections interconnected with one another to form a ladder, each section including a pair of laterally spaced elongated ladder rails interconnected by a plurality of ladder rungs, each rail of one ladder section having at one end a reduced cross-section portion and a radius at a transition between the reduced cross-section portion and a remaining portion of the rail, each rail of another ladder section having at one end thereof a cross-section for telescopically receiving the reduced cross-section portion of a rail of the one ladder section, an anti-lock bushing formed of a plastic material having a central opening and received over the reduced diameter cross-section portion of each rail of the one ladder section with a portion of the bushing engaging the transition radius, each rail of another ladder section being engageable over a reduced cross-section portion of a rail of one ladder section and engageable with the bushing whereby the bushing prevents lock-up of the sections to one another.
In a still further embodiment according to the present invention, there is provided a tree stand comprising a platform section having a frame with a pair of laterally spaced elongated side frame members interconnected by a plurality of crosspieces, a seat, a bracket connected to the platform and the seat for supporting the seat above the platform, a strap engageable around a tree for securing the stand to the tree, a pair of clevises secured to the bracket, one end of the strap being received within one of the clevises, another end of the strap having a hook for releasable attachment to another of tire clevises, the clevises having a generally C-shape for securing one end of the strap and the hook along the C-shaped clevises, respectively, such that tire strap may extend from the clevises at different angles, precluding wear and binding of the strap when tire strap lies at various angles relative to the seat bracket, the clevises being pivotally mounted on the bracket.